The 1st vice chairman of the ruling New Patriotic Party(NPP), Chairman Butey Danquah Smith has said that this year’s Presidential and Parliamentary elections of the NPP will be the smoothest and peaceful election in the history of the party.
Buttressing his assertion, he noted that just as the recent held by-election in Kumawu was peaceful, despite the violence history of the constituency, same will be replicated with the NPP primaries.
“Every by-election in Ghana is characterized with violence, but the case of Kumawu was totally different due to the measures which were outlined. That’s exactly what we are going to do as a party to ensure that our Parliamentary and Presidential primaries is held peacefully”, he told Kwaku Dawuro on Movement TV.
He warned against the use of incendiary language, falsehoods and insult being rained on Presidential aspirants by the supporters of opponent, as the party opens nominations today for all aspirants to pick up their forms at the party office.
“The party expects that aspirants ensure their supporters desist from needless attacks on opponents. After the internal election, we need to know that we are one people fighting for one cause, which is to win elections 2024 and therefore, we should thread cautiously when campaigning- we need peace”, he said.
He revealed that anybody at all could come and pick up the forms on behalf of an aspirants.
The forms will be sold at GHS50,000 and the filing fee is GHS300, 000.
So far, 10 individuals have publicly declared their intention to contest the NPP Presidential primary including Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia; a former Trades and Industry Minister, Alan Kyeremanteng; MP for Assin Central Kennedy Ohene Agyapong; a former Minister for food and Agriculture, Dr. Owusu Afriyie-Akoto; a former Minister of energy, Boakye Agyarko; a former Minister for railway Development, Joe Ghartey; a former General Secretary, Kwabena Agyapong.